There was a time Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and Lodrick Stewart would get intimidated the moment they stepped on the Pauley Pavilion court.

It could be seen in their eyes, understood in their words and interpreted from their mannerisms.

That wasn’t the case Wednesday. The USC players came to UCLA itching for another chance at their cross-town rivals.

The result was unlike past USC games at Pauley Pavilion but much like last month’s game at Galen Center.

The Trojans raced out to a double-digit lead, controlled most of the game but could not finish as UCLA kept control over the cross-town rivalry and held onto sole possession of first place in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 70-65 victory.

“We weren’t afraid of them,” Young said. “We came out making shots and went on a little bit of a run, but we knew they were going to come back. They’re on their home court.”

Last year at Pauley Pavilion, USC lost the moment the players stepped timidly on the court. The Trojans trailed 18-2 after sevenminutes on their way to a second-consecutive 20-point loss in the arena.

The Trojans knew they blew last month’s one-point loss to UCLA, a game they led by 10points in the second half.

They entered Pauley Pavilion angry – even with a sense of entitlement – and led 20-10 after six minutes.

Young (20), Pruitt (16) and Stewart (13) combined for 49points when they had totaled 35 in a collective seven previous games at Pauley Pavilion.

But the Trojans (18-7, 8-4) couldn’t hold on to another 10-point lead over the Bruins.

Aaron Afflalo gave the Bruins their first lead, 50-48 with 5:48 remaining, on a slam dunk off a pass from Darren Collison, who had stolen the ball from Pruitt.

Then came the biggest possession of the game. Josh Shipp twice rebounded his own miss before finishing a layup and being fouled.

Stewart slammed down the ball, drawing a technical. UCLA made three free throws and the five-point possession put the Bruins ahead 55-52.

Neither Stewart nor coach Tim Floyd would talk about the play.

“It was frustrating because they were making a run on us when we had them the whole game,” Stewart said.

USC players went down shooting, with Dwight Lewis, Pruitt and Young all draining 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds. But it wasn’t enough.

Maybe prep phenom O.J. Mayo can put USC over the hump in the rivalry next season.

But the Trojans are hoping for sooner than that.

“We feel we can win,” Young said. “I want to see them again in the Pac-10 Tournament now, on a neutral court.”

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